Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS/VD)

Mangalore, Jul 4: As many as 80 lorry owners and drivers refused to transport UltraTech cement bags that were unloaded in Goodushedde storage area here on Sunday July 3.

The drivers and owners said that as they have been transporting cement for more than 10 branded companies like ACC, Ramco, Bharahi, Zuari among others who had agreed to increase the rent due to the hike in the price of diesel.

The owners of the lorries had demanded that UltraTech agents increase the rent by 30 %. The agents also tried to persuade the other companies to decrease the payment amount, they alleged. This infuriated the lorry drivers and owners who refused to take the transport order.

Pandeshwar police intervened and both the parties were called to the police station  where the matter was resolved after the demand was assured to be fulfilled by the UltraTech agents.

Speaking to daijiworld, Lawrence Titus Noronha, secretary of Goods Lorry Owners Association said that they had been demanded UltraTech to increase the rent amount since 3 months, but they did not pay heed to their demand. Once the issue was brought up at the police station, they agreed to make the reasonable hike, he said.

He said that once the diesel price increased, every industry fixed a price for their goods, hence they too were forced to increase rent amount.